Martin said his father let the dog out of the
house, located about 500 feet from his own house, as he always does
in the morning. The dog's daily routine includes a visit to Jon Jr.'s
house, where she plays with his two daughters, ages 5 and 3, he said.

That routine was interrupted Friday, when the
eagle landed, clutched the dog in its talons and flew away, according
to Martin.

"I told my father, I said, 'Dad, you want to
watch out for that eagle. Ava is a little hot dog. That eagle's going
to get the dog.' This morning, sure enough, he got the dog."

Jon Martin Sr. said he saw the eagle, but at
first did not know the bird had grabbed the dog.

When he realized what had happened, he said he
began running toward the bird, waving his arms and yelling, as the eagle
lifted off the ground with it prey in tow.

"Then the dog bit him in the leg, so he let him
go," Martin Sr. said.

He said the dog dropped from about the height
of a tall tree nearby and hit the ground, injured, but still alive.

"She bit the eagle and and he dropped her," Jon
Jr. said, again picking up the story. "The claws pierced her like a
razor. They went right through her body to the other side."

Martin Jr. said his daughters love the little
dog, so he and his wife Sherrie did not tell them Friday that a big
bird had hurt Ava.